A Path Changed
by Ashlight11
Summary: What if, in Into The Wild, if Ravenpaw stuck around?How would everything change, or would he still flee to Barley's home?Would Tigerclaw's treachery be revealed earlier then The Darkest Hour?Or will Ravenpaw be destroyed by his ruthless mentor?
1. Prologue: An Escapee

**BIG disclaimer, I used quotes from the book, EVERYTHING, charries, story line minus the second chapter ideas and Ravenpaw's warriro name. ^^**

Ravenpaw fled from the nursery, confused, as the white queen Frostfur pursued him. The rain drenched him within minutes, and his black paws were splattered in the quickly forming. All the other cats had already run for cover, thunder rumbled above his head, the clouds were dark and solemn. He ended up in the middle of the clearing, his white tipped tail dragged in the mud, and his ears were flicked back against his head.

_I knew that Tigerclaw had been planting rumors about me,_

He thought,

_But this is too far! If the queens believe him, then so would everyone else…._

His thoughts grew dark and miserable as he holed up in the apprentice's den, Sandpaw and Dustpaw snoozed in the corner behind him.

Resting his head on his paws, he stared out into the rain soaked clearing, glancing nervously at the Warrior's den, incase he caught the gleam of amber eyes that told him his mentor was watching. He was so intent on watching the shadows flickering in the half-light of the storm, he didn't notice Firepaw's approach until he stood, dripping, in the mouth of the den.

"Ravenpaw,"

He hissed through the entrance, his green eyes shimmering with excitement. Ravenpaw looked up, surprised. Firepaw flicked his ears in a way that indicated he should follow him, and back out into the storm. Ravenpaw sighed and got up, stretching and padding out into the clearing once again.

"Come on," Firepaw whispered. "We're taking you to Barley."

"Barley?" He mewed, bewildered. Why would he need to go to the loner he had met on the trip to Highstones? He narrowed his eyes, his tail-tip twitching slightly "Why?"

"Because you'll be safe there.," Firepaw answered, looking at him in the eyes. Firepaw was telling the truth, and Ravenpaw could see how strongly he believed it to be the right choice, sending him away from his clan, his family, almost everything he'd ever known.

"Did you see what Frostfur did?" he mewed, hoping that Firepaw hadn't been poisoned with the rumors Tigerclaw had been planting about him, suddenly worried. "I was only going to check on the kits…"

"Come on," Firepaw interrupted, flicking his tail as he fled the way toward the entrance barrier. "We must hurry!"

He twitched his whiskers inattempt to shed the drops that had gathered there, and murmured, "Thanks, Firepaw," Before following him across the clearing, mud sucked at his paws at every step, thunder rolled in the distance. Graypaw had joined them as they raced to the camp entrance, and as they entered, he heard a menacingly familiar voice.

"You three! Where are you going?"

Ravenpaw flattened his ears slightly, cringing away from the darkness that hid his mentor, Tigerclaw. Distracted by the very presence of him, he didn't hear Bluestar approach from across the clearing until she spoke behind him.

"Well done Firepaw,"

She mewed quietly, her gaze was guarded and cool, making Ravenpaw jumped slightly as she spoke.

_What did Firepaw do? Why does Bluestar sound like she knows all of this…? Does she want me to leave the clan? Am I being banished?_

Ravenpaw thought, his heartbeat quickening, his eyes wide as he half crouched as Bluestar stood above him.

"I see you've convinced your two friends to go with you. Thunderclan has brave apprentices. Tigerclaw, if they are willing to run an errand in weather like this."

Bluestar continued. Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes, clearing disbelieving his leader.

"Surely this is not a time for errands?"

He objected, his gaze flashing to Ravenpaw's scared, wide eyes. Ravenpaw could almost see what Tigerclaw would tell him if they were alone.

_If you told them anything, I'll rip your throat out before you can say mouse. I dealt with Redtail fast enough, no other warrior saw that. I could do the same to you._

"One of Brindleface's kits has a cough, Firepaw has offered to fetch some coltsfoot for her. Yellowfang had many herbs, but unfortunately, none of what we need, they must get it from the forest."

Ravenpaw heard as if from far away, Bluestar's cold voice, extremely calm voice rang in his head.

"Does he really need his friends to go too?"

"In this storm, I think he's lucky to have the company! Off you go, you three."

He was jolted back by Bluestar's words, Firepaw dipping his head gratefully as they turned to the entrance tunnel.

"Thank you," He purred slightly, and glanced back at Ravenpaw and Greypaw, then ran out the entrance tunnel. He led the way along the wind battered paths and the creaking branches and trunks of trees, threatening to snap at any moment. The wind whistled through the leaves, blowing them aside for the rain to breach the three travelers.

**R&R! Did I keep to Ravenpaw's charrie?**


	2. Chapter 1:A Failed Plan

**AN: Anyone new, welcome! anyone who feels like spamming me, go away. If you came here to comlain about Edward Cullen (Robert patterison)(and I dun care if I spelled that wrong), my door is always open! ^^ **

Ravenpaw fled from the nursery, confused, as the white queen Frostfur pursued him. The rain drenched him within minutes, and his black paws were splattered in the quickly forming. All the other cats had already run for cover, thunder rumbled above his head, the clouds were dark and solemn. He ended up in the middle of the clearing, his white tipped tail dragged in the mud, and his ears were flicked back against his head.

_I knew that Tigerclaw had been planting rumors about me,_

He thought,

_But this is too far! If the queens believe him, then so would everyone else…._

His thoughts grew dark and miserable as he holed up in the apprentice's den, Sandpaw and Dustpaw snoozed in the corner behind him.

Resting his head on his paws, he stared out into the rain soaked clearing, glancing nervously at the Warrior's den, incase he caught the gleam of amber eyes that told him his mentor was watching. He was so intent on watching the shadows flickering in the half-light of the storm, he didn't notice Firepaw's approach until he stood, dripping, in the mouth of the den.

"Ravenpaw,"

He hissed through the entrance, his green eyes shimmering with excitement. Ravenpaw looked up, surprised. Firepaw flicked his ears in a way that indicated he should follow him, and back out into the storm. Ravenpaw sighed and got up, stretching and padding out into the clearing once again.

"Come on," Firepaw whispered. "We're taking you to Barley."

"Barley?" He mewed, bewildered. Why would he need to go to the loner he had met on the trip to Highstones? He narrowed his eyes, his tail-tip twitching slightly "Why?"

"Because you'll be safe there.," Firepaw answered, looking at him in the eyes. Firepaw was telling the truth, and Ravenpaw could see how strongly he believed it to be the right choice, sending him away from his clan, his family, almost everything he'd ever known.

"Did you see what Frostfur did?" he mewed, hoping that Firepaw hadn't been poisoned with the rumors Tigerclaw had been planting about him, suddenly worried. "I was only going to check on the kits…"

"Come on," Firepaw interrupted, flicking his tail as he fled the way toward the entrance barrier. "We must hurry!"

He twitched his whiskers inattempt to shed the drops that had gathered there, and murmured, "Thanks, Firepaw," Before following him across the clearing, mud sucked at his paws at every step, thunder rolled in the distance. Graypaw had joined them as they raced to the camp entrance, and as they entered, he heard a menacingly familiar voice.

"You three! Where are you going?"

Ravenpaw flattened his ears slightly, cringing away from the darkness that hid his mentor, Tigerclaw. Distracted by the very presence of him, he didn't hear Bluestar approach from across the clearing until she spoke behind him.

"Well done Firepaw,"

She mewed quietly, her gaze was guarded and cool, making Ravenpaw jumped slightly as she spoke.

_What did Firepaw do? Why does Bluestar sound like she knows all of this…? Does she want me to leave the clan? Am I being banished?_

Ravenpaw thought, his heartbeat quickening, his eyes wide as he half crouched as Bluestar stood above him.

"I see you've convinced your two friends to go with you. Thunderclan has brave apprentices. Tigerclaw, if they are willing to run an errand in weather like this."

Bluestar continued. Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes, clearing disbelieving his leader.

"Surely this is not a time for errands?"

He objected, his gaze flashing to Ravenpaw's scared, wide eyes. Ravenpaw could almost see what Tigerclaw would tell him if they were alone.

_If you told them anything, I'll rip your throat out before you can say mouse. I dealt with Redtail fast enough, no other warrior saw that. I could do the same to you._

"One of Brindleface's kits has a cough, Firepaw has offered to fetch some coltsfoot for her. Yellowfang had many herbs, but unfortunately, none of what we need, they must get it from the forest."

Ravenpaw heard as if from far away, Bluestar's cold voice, extremely calm voice rang in his head.

"Does he really need his friends to go too?"

"In this storm, I think he's lucky to have the company! Off you go, you three."

He was jolted back by Bluestar's words, Firepaw dipping his head gratefully as they turned to the entrance tunnel.

"Thank you," He purred slightly, and glanced back at Ravenpaw and Greypaw, then ran out the entrance tunnel. He led the way along the wind battered paths and the creaking branches and trunks of trees, threatening to snap at any moment. The wind whistled through the leaves, blowing them aside for the rain to breach the three travelers.

Chapter 1:

They reached the stream, and Ravenpaw's eyes stretched widely, the stepping stones had disappeared under the raging river currents.

"This way,"

Firepaw called over the relentless winds. "Therre's a fallen tree up here. We can use it to cross."

Flagging his tail, he led Greaypaw and Ravenpaw up to the fallen tree. Ravenpaw eyed it nervously, the bark had been stripped away, leaving the pale, slippery wood exposed to the elements. "Be careful, it'll be slippery!" Firepaw called as he leapt up onto the log, it swayed sickenly under his weight, Ravenpaw's fur bristled fearfully as Graypaw followed, until it was his turn. He scrambled up onto the tree, gripping it like a squirrel, his claws unsheathed. He slithered ungracefully along the trunk, the rain and wind battering at his flanks. Leaping down onto solid ground, he shivered thankfully, and tore off into the forest after his two friends. He could hear them talking as they ran, when Graypaw stopped suddenly.

"Tigerclaw killed Redtail!"

He looked first at Firepaw, and then to Ravenpaw, disbelief and shock spelled out in his eyes. Ravenpaw skidded to a halt, his breath puffing in his chest.

"At the battle with Riverclan. I saw him."

"But why would he do that?"

Graypaw asked, jogging down the forest slope, Ravenpaw dashed after them after catching his breath.

"I don't know, maybe he thought Bluestar would make him deputy"

Firepaw meowed, raising his voice through the screaming wind. They began climbing a slope that led to Windclan territory, leaping from rock to rock, Ravenpaw's sodden pelt felt very heavy. As they climbed, Firepaw finally began to explain why he had brought Ravenpaw.

"I overheard Tigerclaw talking to Darkstripe and Longtail the night that Lionheart was killed." He started, practically yowling into the wind that buffeted them against the rocks as they climbed. "He wants to get rid of Ravenpaw." He admitted, shaking his head slightly as Graypaw asked,

"Get _rid _of him? You mean_ kill _him?" He stopped suddenly and sat down heavily.

Ravenpaw sighed and sat down too, gasping for breath and his ebony fur plastered to his sides. He knew that it was hard for a clan-born member of the forest to see the true colors of a cat they've trusted since kithood. Tigerclaw had his treachery well, appearing as a hard working warrior, getting rid of all the cats that had seen him twist the warrior code to his own cruel goals.

He was a bit farther down the slope then the two toms, the wind whipped the words away from there mouths, and even as he strained his ears, he couldn't hear their words until Firepaw raised his voice again,

"…Now come on! We must hurry!"

As they cleared the slope, the trees thinned and the forest stopped, the wide expanse of Windclan territory splayed before them. Thunder rolled along the horizon, lightning flashed across the sky. Ravenpaw lowered his head, flicking the rain off his head. They traveled to the edge of the mass of hills, staring across it.

"We can't take you any farther, Ravenpaw. We have to go back and find Yellowfang before the storm has past."

Ravenpaw's fur prickled along his spine, he shivered, droplets spinning off his ears. His eyes were wide with alarm, but he nodded hesitantly.

'Time to leave everything I ever knew. All because of Tigerclaw'

He thought sullenly.

"Will you be able to find Barley alone?"

Firepaw shouted over the wind

"Yes! I remember the way" He called back

"Watch out for the dogs" Reminded Graypaw, his voice was tinged with sadness. Ravenpaw nodded vigorously. "I will" Then freezeing, he thought of how his life would continue from here. "How can you be sure Barley will welcome me?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"Just tell him you caught an adder once!" answered Graypaw, flicking his soaked shoulder with his gray tail.

"Go." Firepaw urged, licking Ravenpaw's chest. Surprised slightly, Ravenpaw looked at the ginger apprentice, his green eyes flashing in the rain. "And don't worry; I'll make sure everyone knows you didn't betray Thunderclan." He added.

"What if Tigerclaw comes looking for me?" Ravenpaw fretted, his eyes widening slightly. The thought of Tigerclaw finding him in a barn, far away from the clans, no one to stop him, it sent shivers down his spine. Firepaw stared into his eyes. "He won't. I shall tell him you are dead."

Ravenpaw shivered again, but turned and raced across the moorland. His skinny figure wove through the heather carefully, passing the faint Windclan scent marks. Traveling for a few more minutes, Ravenpaw paused. If the markers had been faint, why was the scent of Windclan swamping everything else?

"Intruder!"

Hissed a voice in the heather, four cat figures slinking out form the heather around him, and Ravenpaw hissed quietly under his breath. The entire moor stung of ShadowClan cats, they had been hunting there ever since they drove WindClan out.

"Who are you? You smell of Thunderclan; do your clanmates think that they can cross our boundry whenever they like?"

The dark furred cat challenge, Ravenpaw struggled to remember his voice from a Gathering.

_'Well the brown tabby is that cat called Stumpytail, he was made a warriot my first Gathering as an apprentice. A big silver tabby tom was a rogue that joined ShadowClan a while back, but he didn't recegnize the two smaller cats with them, but all that mattered was that they are bigger, and look stornger.'_

"Go back to your own territory." Stumpytail snarled fiercely, his teeth bared slightly.

"But… wait I can't…" Ravenpaw spluttered as he backed away into the grasses, turning tail and racing back to Thunderclan territory. He glowered across the border, the patrol had followed him. It wasn't even their territory to chase him off of! He'd better find Firepaw… he could help him.

Sniffing around the wet grass, the rain pouring down had almost hidden the scent of the two apprentices. Cathcing the slight scent, he followed it as it curved back to Thunderclan camp, steadily becoming more and more recent. A sudden thought hit him like a cuff in the chest.

_'What if Tigerclaw is out looking for Yellowfang?'_

He froze one paw in midstep. Shaking himself, he strode forward, down the ravine to the camp, where the scent trailed along the outskirts. Obviously, Firepaw hadn't been in camp again.

The scent gathered around the outskirts of the elders den, then back up the ravine, and Ravenpaw let out a sigh of relief, and bounded after it.

**AN: My thanks to Apprentice Writer, who pointed out that WindClan was chased out before this happened, so I had to go back and rewrite it.**


	3. Chapter 2: Return to the Clan

**AN: Here's the second chapter, I might as well release the third in a few hours since I'm already on here and got teh writing bug. It's weird taht I either have writers block, or I can't get stuff on the page fast enough. R&R!**

Scrambling through the underbrush, he could hear murmuring ahead, which gradually rose to a roar as he approached. Slinking forward with his haunches pushed to the ground, he hadn't even realized he had passed the ShadowClan border until he approached the camp entrance. It seemed like there was a battle going on, and Ravenpaw stared down into the hollow from the branches of a tree. He could see the ragged pelt of Yellowfang, and the ginger pelt of Firepaw, and the muscular figures of Whitestorm and Graypaw.

Sitting in the tree, he stripped the branch he sat on, trying to decide what to do, when he finally leapt down the trunk and burst through the camp entrance. Almost immediately he was confronted by a large tabby tom, and he slashed his muzzle as he turned. The tom retaliated by lunging forward, squashing Ravenpaw into the ground. The breath was driven out of his lungs, and he tried to thrust upward, but the warrior was too heavy. Raking the fur that covered him, he gasped for breath as he finally got off him, but the fight was far from over.

As Ravenpaw gasped for breath, the tom leapt at him, his claws snagging across Ravenpaw's flank, and he hissed, spinning and slashing the toms' ears. The tom backed away, and Ravenpaw leapt at him, slashing his flank as he whirled past. And as the warrior was too slow to follow his movements, he landed a few more blows on his hindquarters.

"Ravenpaw!"

A voice called out of the crowd, and he spun around, seeing Firepaw grappling with a large she-cat. A sharp pain shot up his spine as the tom fastened his teeth around the white tip, jerking him of balance with a tug. As she landed heavily on his side, the tom leapt on top of him again, slashing his stomach open. Pushing up quickly with his hind legs, raking the dark fur out in clumps, the tom jerked away and hissed, blood dripping off his face as he disappeared into the crowd of fighting cats.

Turning to look for Firepaw again, he leapt in the direction that he saw his ginger friend, confronting more enemies, gathering wounds from claws, but also sending cats screaming into the bushes of the camp walls. By the time the cats were thinning, he was gasping for breath, finding whitestorm at his flank, supporting him with a broad shoulder. Gazing around the clearing, there were only a few cats left, Graypaw was chasing a cat with jet black feet into the bushes, and Firepaw wrestling with a dark tom, oddly familiar, he had a crooked tail…

'_Blackfoot and Brokenstar!'_

He gasped, watching Brokenstar stalk off, his back to the walls of the camp, his amber eyes gleaming, his mouth was still moving, probably promising revenge, and Firepaw turned his back, padding over to Whitestrom and Ravenpaw. He could see that the young toms' eyes were troubled as they flashed over him, along with a question in the depths. Nodding to Whitestorm, he sat down and flicked his tail subtly, Ravenpaw padded over to him and they both watched the Thundeclan warriors steadily return from chasing off warriors, Yellowfang checking over wounds.

"Graypaw, ask Yellowfang where she thinks the kits are, we need to get them home."

Graypaw nodded and padded over to the irritated she-cat, Firepaw turned to him.

"What happened? You were supposed to go to Barley!" His voice held no anger, just concern and Ravenpaw winced and drew his tongue over a slash on his forepaw.

"A WindClan patrol spotted me; it's amazing they were out in the storm. They made me turn back, Mudclaw was there, and Deadfoot. I wouldn't stand a chance, and I can't outrun a WindClan warrior."

"well we need to do something quickly. We can't claim your death now that Whitestorm and the rest of the patrol has seen you, and Tigerclaw is still planning to get rid of you…"

His eyes cleared suddenly, and they held the truth that Ravenpaw had never wanted to become the answer.

"We have to tell Bluestar what you saw! She'll see Tigerclaw's treachery; she won't let him stay in the clan." He spoke with such conviction that he had to take a step back.

"Firepaw, it's not that simple! Who would you believe two apprentices or the cat you've lived with for your entire life? All Bluestar would do is make us take care of the elders for the next moon for accusing him?" he sighed, flicking his tail, a chunk of fur was missing from it.

"Bluestar's fair, she'll listen to us!" He pressed, and then went quiet as Whitestorm approached.

"We're going back now, Graypaw found the kits, Yellowfang is coming with us."

After the ThunderClanners gathered at the entrance of the camp, Nightpelt thanked them.

"You helped ShadowClan rid itself of a brutal and dangerous leader, and we are grateful. But it is time you left out camp and returned to your own. I promise your hunting grounds will be free of ShadowClan warriors as long as we can find enough food in out own territory." Nightpelt said sincerely, dipping his head to Whitestorm.

"Hunt in peace for one moon, Nightpelt. thunderClan knows you need time to rebuild your Clan." Whitestrom replied, and after sharing a few words with Yellowfang, he led the cats away with a flick of his tail. Ravenpaw stumbled through the forest; his paws seemed heavy with exhaustion and he tripped over branches after the storm had broken them off the trees.

Crossing the border, he fell behind the other cats, only Firepaw stayed with him as they traveled through the wet forest, the rain made the leaves slippery under his paws and left sparkling drops on the tips of the ferns. The patrol slowed as they leapt down the ravine, stones dug into his soft pads, a trickle of blood leaked from his ear where the tom had shredded the tip. Holding his breath, he pushed his way through the gorse tunnel into the main clearing of the camp.

The kits were gathered around Frostfur's paws, and Yellowfang stood beside him in the shadows of the gorse tunnel. Bluestar and Whitestorm exchanged words, and Ravenpaw padded over to stand beside Firepaw and Graypaw, catching the end of the conversation.

"…to the apprentices that we found them" Whitestorm finished, glancing fondly at the three apprentices. Firepaw looked proud, his head high, eye gleaming, and Ravenpaw smiled, flicking his ears modestly. But just as he opened his mouth to speak, Ravenpaw heard his mentor snarl across the clearing.

"Why did you bring back the traitor?"

Glaring at Yellowfang, then transferring it to Ravenpaw, who's eyes were wide with fear.

'_How can I convince them that I'm not a traitor?'_

"She is no traitor," Firepaw defended, bristling slightly at the accusation as he caught the exchange between Tigerclaw and his friend. The clan murmured among themselves, darting glances at Yellowfang, Longtail yowling out,

"She killed Spottedleaf!"

"Look between Spottedleaf's claws, you'll find the brown fur of Clawface, not Yellowfang's gray fur!"

Graypaw meowed, and Mousefur shot away after a glance from Bluestar. A heavy silence descended on the clan as they waited tensely, and finally Mousefur ran back into the clearing.

"Graypaw is right, Spottedleaf was not attacked by a gray cat!"

"But that doesn't mean that she didn't help steal the kits! Or someone else in this clan!"

Tigerclaw intoned, and some of the clan glared at Ravenpaw, and he shrank under their gazes.

"Both Ravenpaw and Yellowfang helped in the battle against Shadowclan and in finding the kits! We wouldn't have found them without them!"

Firepaw spat back at the warrior, and Ravenpaw couldn't remember when he had seen the ginger tom so angry. Firepaw continued on, and the clans expressions turned from hostile and anger to astonishment as they heard the story of their adventure.

"He's right, their both friends, there are no traitors in the clan."

Whitestorm said, Bluestar nodded to him, obviously trusting his words.

"I'm glad to hear it." She said.

"Is Brokenstar dead?"

Frostfur called from the crowd, her tail wrapped around her kits protectively. Sighing in relief as Whitestorm reassured her that he would never lead again, she nuzzled the tiny bundles by her feet.

The report continued, the clan calmed under Bluestar's confident words, offering Yellowfang a place in the clan, where she outright said that ThunderClan was he clan now, how she gave up her allegiances to ShadowClan, when Blusestar stared around the clearing, suddenly asking a question.

"Where is Ravenpaw?"

**that disclaimer in the first chapter is gonna cover the entire story, cause I don't feel like writing them everytime. gotta embarass ppl,_ T__HANK _YOU MOSSTAIL, EILATAN AND ZOE! You guys are my first reveiwers ever! ^^ hoep you enjoy the new chapter! **


	4. Chapter 3: Warrior at last

**Wraping this up in five chapters if I can help it, sorry about all the flashback stuff in this chapter, it's super long but it's really good. You get to see into Ravenpaw/(his warrior name)'s past, including his mother and why he's an easy target for tratiorous(sp?) actions.**

Cowering behind Firepaw, who's eyes were glassy as he thought of Spottedleaf, he stepped forward past his friend. But not before his mentor's eyes flashed,

"Yes, where is my apprentice? Strange he should disappear with Brokenstar."

Tigerclaw meowed smoothly, casting meaningful glances around the clan, until he spotted Ravenpaw, where he could barely stop a growl, his teeth bared together before he controlled his emotions with experience.

"I am right here Bluestar. And I'm no traitor to follow Brokenstar, much less to leave my clan!"

He said, surprising himself as well as Firepaw, who stared at him. Their astounded faces carried his spirits higher then they had been in a long time. Firepaw shook his head as if to clear it, then as if emerging from cold water, he stared Tigerclaw straight in the eyes.

"If you think he might have been helping Brokenstar, then you are wrong!" Hemewed boldly, his head and tail high, glancing around the clan. "Ravenpaw was with us the entire time we were in ShadowClan territory, just as he was with us all the way to the Moonstone, and the journey back!"

There were gasps throughout the crowd, both of disbelief and confusion. Obviously the clan had heard the rumors tigerlcaw had been spreading, Darkstripe and Longtail snarled insults at Firepaw, calling him a traitor also.

Bluestar looked around the clearing, somewhat disgusted with the short minded clanmates. "Ravenpaw is not a traitor! He was sent out along with Graypaw and Firepaw to fetch the kits back, and none of you mark them as traitors." She mewed coolly, a confused glance was flashed toward Ravenpaw, who stood with his tail held high, though he hoped that no one saw his legs trembling. "As for his presence on the journey to the Moonstone, I do not see how that is debatable; he was with us the entire time."

By now, Tigerclaw was silently fuming at the edge of the group of cats, but had to support Bluestar, and he nodded. Now all the cats he had lied to, that he had spoken to and implanted ideas to them were looking confused, why wasn't Tigerclaw fighting for what he saw? Unless he was lying the entire time… the clan began turning on their own deputy, suspicious glares and hostile growls were muted, but a tense undercurrent ran through the clan.

Bluestar glanced around the clan and sighed softly, and then an idea sparked in her eyes. After waving her tail for silence, she began. "You have shown great courage tonight. Did they fight well, Whitestorm?"

"Like warriors." Whitestorm replied solemnly, catching wind of what Bluestar had in mind. Graypaw glanced at Firepaw and Ravenpaw, excitement flashing across his face, his paws worked the gournd furiously, and the other two apprentices shared it.

_She's going to make us warriors!_

Ravenpaw thought happily, his tail flagging happily. Finally, he wouldn't have to deal with the constant threat of Tigerclaw, bad reports on his training, of never serving the clan as a warrior.

"I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these three apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

Some of the clan nodded respectfully, Bluestar looked down on them as she spoke the ancient words for the ceremony over the three young toms. "Graypaw, Firepaw and Ravenpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." Garypaw said, his fur bristling with excitement, his paws kneading the ground.

"I do" Firepaw and Ravenpaw said together, Firepaw's eyes were shining happily, and Ravenpaw's tail tip was swishing in the dust, though his ears were twitching with uncertainty.

"Then by the power of StarClan I give you your warrior names: Graypaw, from this moment on you will be known as Graystripe. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bluestar stepped forward, resting her head on Graystripe's, where he licked her shoulder, his eyes glowing. Bluestar studied Firepaw for a short time, and then continued. "Firepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Fireheart. StarClan honors your skill and wit, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Doing the same motions as she did with Graystripe, she then turned to Ravenpaw, smiling slightly. "Ravenpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Raventail. StarClan honors your loyalty and selflessness." Raventail blinked as Bluestar laid her head on his, and licked her shoulder.

_She called me loyal! She believes in me! I'm not an outcast, I'm a _warrior_._

Raventail thought proudly as the cheers from the Clan echoed in his ears.

"Graystripe! Fireheart! Raventail!"

"It is almost moonhigh."

Bluestar called as the cheers died away, her proud gaze fixed on the three apprentices. "In the tradition of our ancestors, Fireheart, Graystripe and Raventail must sit in a silent vigil until dawn, and guard the camp alone while we sleep."

The three warriors nodded solemnly, and Bluestar dismissed the Clan. Facing the other newly named warriors, Raventail smiled, seing it reflected on the others' faces, their eyes brimming with excitement as they turned there backs to each other, and Raventail flinched as he turned and Tigerclaw was there. Trembling slightly, his ears slicked back against his head, and Tigerclaw snarled.

"Just because you're a warrior now doesn't mean I can't slit your throat. You're a fool if you think your friends can protect you, that even Bluestar can protect you. You better watch out Raventail."

He sauntered away, across the clearing, and Raventail trembled slightly as his dark tabby pelt vanished into the shadows of the warriors' den.

All night Raventail was on edge, always looking over his shoulder and peering into the darkest shadows for a glint of amber eyes, or the dark stripes of a tabby pelt. But as the sun rose over the forest, Whitestorm strolled out of the warriors' den, commenting about the weather, telling them that their vigil was over. He sighed as he made his way to their new den, watching Fireheart wonder toward the apprentice den before Graystripe could pull him over to the warriors' den. Scrabbling in some patches of moss to make nests for them, the three tired warriors curled up and went to sleep.

_Raventail blinked open his eyes, which abruptly became round with awe as he stared around at the glittering forest, wondering where he was. Getting to his paws, he padded forward, now recognizing the towering trees of FourTrees, before a single figure melted out of the underbrush on the ThunderClan side of the hollow. Ravenpaw recognized her immediately, relaxing as he padded up to her, rubbing his muzzle with hers._

"_Blackfeather."_

_He murmured, the black she-cat licked his muzzle gently. "Yes, my son?" she asked quietly, her blue eyes gleamed out of her midnight-black pelt that sparkled with starlight._

"_Mother, did I make you proud? I'm a warrior now. Father doesn't see me anymore, I don't think he cared about me after you died." Raventail muttered, sadness gleaming in his eyes as he looked at his mother._

"_Oh Raventail, of course I'm proud of you. And I think Halftail feels the same. But you do not belong in this clan. Your destiny lies outside it."_

"_I don't… I don't belong in ThunderClan?"_

"_No. You can't live the great life you were supposed to live here, among the threats and violence of Tigerclaw." She growled his previous mentor's name like a curse. "No, you need to pass where you once did before, lying to rest your old life, seek out the plant that will guide you, he will reveal your true home."_

_And with that, the dream began to fade around Raventail, darkness covering his vision and a pain in his tail woke him back in the warriors' den._

"Raventail, get up, we have patrosl to do!"

A voice called as he leapt to his feet, shaking off the moss that clung to his fur and padding out into the sunlight. He glanced at his tail, which was still throbbing and plucked a thorn out of it, grimacing. The wounds from yesterday still hurt, he would see Yellowfang later. Shreds of the dream still whirled in his mind, and Garystripe sat outside the den with a mouse in his jaws.

"And the dormouse awakes! Tigerclaw wanted you for the dawn patrol, but I took your place. No need to thank me."

He waved his tail as Raventail opened his mouth to thank him. "I wouldn't want to be you though, he's going to assign you to every patrol from now until sunset"

Getting up, he stretched his back out, and Raventail looked around the clearing for Fireheart. Noticing Raventail's search, Graystripe laughed. "He started with Fireheart, he was on the dawn patrol and the hunting party right afterward. You're probably doing sunhigh and a hunting patrol afterward too."

Though Graystripe joked fondly about the tabby deputy, but Raventail could see a hint of fear for his friend as Tigerclaw bossed them around camp. Now that all three of them knew about his secret, none of them were safe being alone, especially Raventail.

"I have to go see Yellowfang before I work my paws off for Tigerclaw. The wounds from ShadowClan are stinging, I think my tail's infected."

Raventail confided, wrinkling his muzzle as he sniffed his white-tipped tail. Graystripe let out a murmur of sympathy before Raventail padded across the clearing, his thoughts wrapped up in Blackfeather and her prophecy. Raventail's mother hadn't been a ThunderClan cat, she had been a ShadowClan warrior, some of the reason the clan didn't trust him and believed Tigerclaw when he told them that Raventail had been working with Brokenstar.

Halftail, before he retired and still had been Sparrowpelt, had fallen in love with the ShadowClan she-cat at a gathering. Before long they were meeting in secret by Snakerocks. This had all been before Brokenstar killed his father, Raggedstar, and Raggedstar knew about the meetings with the ThunderClan warrior, but he never said a word against it. Raventail suspected he had his own mate in another clan, or something like that against the warrior code. Before long, Blackfeather was having kits, and Sparrowpelt was thrilled. The day came for the kits to be born, and Black feather had contracted whitecough a few nights before. Now she was too weak to kit, and they only got one kit out before she died. The second before she died, she named him, saying "Raven" before her eyes closed and she breathed no more.

Raventail's paws carried him to the medicine cat den, and he sat in the fern tunnel, lost in his own thoughts before Yellowfang broke into them, bringing him back to the clearing.

"Raventail! I can smell you lurking out there, either come in or go out, but don't sit there like a mouse in a hole!"

His muzzle curled until he was smiling, and he padded into the medicine cat clearing.

"Yellowfang, sorry, I was thinking about Blackfeather. I came to get herbs for my wounds."

Yellowfang was about the only cat like him. After Blackfeather died, Raggedstar brought Raventail, then Ravenkit, to ThunderClan to grow up with his father. Bluestar at the time had no idea about any warrior breaking the warrior code like that, until Sparrowpelt admitted it to her. After that he retired to the elders' den and Ravenkit was given to Willowpelt to suckle as well as Graykit, her own kit. So in some ways, Raventail and Graystripe were brothers, and they became closer after their eyes opened, Graykit acted like a big brother to Raventail.

Yellowfang snorted and padded back out into the clearing, and Raventail started. He hadn't seen her vanish into the cracked rock that held all the medicine supplies.

"Here," She said gruffly, pushing a wad of chewed up leaves toward him on a leaf. "Marigold for those wounds to keep out infection, cobwebs to keep it on there and to stop your ear from bleeding, or it will never heal."

Raventail touched his tail to his ear, noticing the drop of scarlet that stained his white fur; he ducked his head while Yellowfang wrapped his ear, treating his tail himself.

"Raventail!"

A voice called in the clearing, and he could tell it was Tigerclaw. Wincing slightly, he thanked Yellowfang and padded out of the tunnel, but before he left, Yellowfang caught his attention.

She was staring off into space, oddly, her eyes were glowing brighter then before, and when she spoke it was as if she had an echo of ancientness to her voice.

"Pass where you once did before, lying to rest your old life, seek out the plant that will guide you, he will reveal your true home." She rasped, staring him straight in the eyes. After a few heartbeats, the gleam of starlight faded from her eyes and her ears twitched as if warding off some obnoxious fly.

"Well why are you standing there like a scared rabbit? Move!" She mewed, confusion flashed in her eyes as she saw how Raventail was looking at her. Then Tigerclaw called his name again, and he sprinted from the clearing.

Just as he had thought, Tigerclaw paced in the center of the clearing, his pelt ruffled and his tail lashing. Runningwind, Willowpelt, Whitestorm and Sandpaw stood by the entrance tunnel, and Tigerclaw flicked his tail to them, a cold gleam in his eyes. As they headed out, he just barely heard Tigerclaw yowl after them,

"You are on a hunting patrol with me and Darkstripe when you get back, Raventail!"

And his heart seemed to inch it's way up his throat, beating wildly out of fear as he sprang through the forest with the other warriors in front of him.

**not much of a cliff hanger, working on those as well as the next chapter, though I think I'm going to take today to write in Full Moon, cause it's been over a week since I touched that writing. R&R!**


	5. Chapter 4: Fall of a warrior

**AN: Last chapter, I'****m almost sad to see Raventail go. I got a few parts in here that _I_ got teary, not sure if it's the same for everyone, enjoy!**

The patrol returned to camp around sunset, only three of the five warriors entered the clearing, Whitestorm and Sandpaw stayed out for battle training. Raventail glanced nervously around the camp, dropping a sparrow onto the fresh kill pile, taking his vole over to where Graystripe and Fireheart were eating.

"Raventail! Your back finally!"

"We were sure that Tigerclaw had you looking for purple hedgehogs all morning."

The two toms greeted, their light jokes hid the undercurrent of uncertainty of going out alone with the murderous deputy. Graystripe was washing his flank with steady rasps of his tongue; Fireheart was washing his face and still licking his lips from the mouse he had eaten. From across the clearing, Raventail could hear the dark tabby mewing to Bluestar, and he ate the vole quickly, licking his lips after ward and checking his white tipped tail, the teeth marks on it were healing, though the poultice Yellowfang had given him had rubbed off while in the forest.

"Raventail,"

Tigerclaw growled as he approached the three toms outside the warriors' den. Graystripe didn't look up from his washing, but pricked his ears. Fireheart stiffened.

"Hunting Patrol. Or did you forget?" The tabby sneered, Darkstripe sat by the entrance tunnel, and Raventail padded past Tigerclaw, the dark warrior sneered in his ear.

"Say good-bye to your friends now, Raventail. You won't be coming back."

Raventail's eyes widened and he turned to rush back to Fireheart and Graystripe, but Tigerclaw unsheathed his claws and nicked his flank with one claw. "Wouldn't want to make a scene, would we?" He intoned, his voice smooth and soft, but hiding the thinly veiled threat. Raventail nodded mutely, his eyes huge as he padded out the entrance tunnel to the camp.

Darkstripe led the way out of the tunnel, his eyes gleaming warily as Tigerclaw padded behind Raventail, the supposed traitor to the clan as they headed toward the RiverClan border. Though Bluestar had reassured them, and Tigerclaw ahd poisoned the minds of th cats, Darkstripe seemed to not know which side to take in the argument. But obviously he had no idea that Tigerclaw had murdered so many cats, or else he would have left him long ago.

'_Would he? Darkstripe is one of Tigerclaw's main supporters, his apprentice even. Would he still look up to him, despite his actions?_

Raventail thought. Hopefully, if Tigerclaw was trying not to push away Darkstripe, he wouldn't let him see it, incase he was actually loyal to Bluestar, or the clan and would tell them.

Tigerclaw suddenly butted Raventail into a tree; the black tom was so edgy that he jumped when Tigerclaw touched him, his eyes wide with fear. Tigerclaw clucked his tongue innocently, flicking his tail for Darkstripe to go on without them. With his receding pawsteps, Raventail's hope went with him. He had hoped that maybe Tigerclaw would spare him if he stayed by Darkstripe, but now they were almost at Sunningrocks, where Tigerclaw could easily take care of him without anyone knowing, and throwing his body in the river to get rid of the evidence.

Now, Tigerclaw stood over Raventail, who still lay against the trunk of the tree, catching his breath and mustering up enough pride to fight the huge warrior. Tigerclaw swiped at him again, throwing him against the tree, the rough bark scratched at Raventail's back, and he growled quietly, then thrust forward angrily into Tigerclaw's shoulder. The dark tabby was heavier then himself, but he still manage to land a few swipes along his chest and one flick of his claw on his nose. Tigerclaw snarled, thrusting his shoulders against Raventail, forcing him down onto the stony ground, raking clumps of black fur out of his stomach. He twisted and shrieked under the dark warrior's claws, squirming away in a few heatbeats, but blood had soaked his dark fur, and he staggered a bit as he ran. Suddenly he felt a sharp jab in his hindquarters, and claws pulling him backward. He turned and raked Tigerclaw's face with one paw, just as the tabby lunged in for a killing bite.

Raventail felt time slow as Tigerclaw grabbed his raven-colored fur in his jaws and sank his claws into his scruff fur. He could feel them sinking in deeply, almost to the bone, and he struggled and flailed under the deputy's paws. The weight on his neck fell away and Raventail collapsed, panting slightly as blood pooled out of his throat. His vision faded to a black tunnel, Tigerclaw's scoffing laugh was the last thing he saw, his ears were already deaf to the world. Then, even that faded to black and he left.

"_Raventail! Raventail, wake up!"_

_An urgent voice said, and he blinked open his eyes to see who it was. Blackfeather stood in front of him, stars sparkled in her paws._

"_Blackfeather, am I dead?"_

_He murmured, his voice was rusty a bit, and he cleared his throat, looking down at his pelt. Unlike Blackfeather's, his pelt was solid still, and no stars shone in his fur. He still felt battered and bruised, but the claw mark in his neck was healing unnaturally fast._

"_No little one, StarClan needs you again. In almost a season, you will need to work with Barley to help the Clans again."_

_She admitted quietly, running her tail down his flank. Raventail shook his head slightly. _

"_Didn't Tigerclaw kill me though?" He felt the gash, or where the gash used to be, and his eyes widened. Nodding slightly, Blackfeather touched noses with Raventail, and he felt the forest of StarClan drop away from his paws and suddenly _he was waking up, soaking wet in the river by Riverclan territory.

He squirmed and looked around, the dark water rushed by, moonlight glimmered on the surface, turning some patches silver. His haunches were covered in the freezing water, his chest and upper body on a small stone that surfaced above the water a tiny bit, and his shoulders were being tugged on by the current. Pulling himself to his paws on the tiny piece of rock, Raventail leapt forward into the current, paddling without really knowing what he was doing, and dragged himself up onto the opposite bank. Raventail shook the water out of his fur and padded up the bank, glancing back to the stone. The starry outline of Blackfeather sat on top of the smooth surface, and nodded to him as he padded up the side of the river.

The stars shone coldly, and their images were reflected in the surface of the river sliding coldly past.

I wonder if Fireheart knows I'm not dead… I don't want him to think I'm dead!

Raventail thought urgently. Pssing the steppingstones, he leapt across, his black body silhouetted against the blue-black sky, and his reflection followed him smoothly as he crossed. Now back in ThunderClan territory, he released a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, and ran easily through the familiar forest.

Why did StarClan bring me back?

The dream of Blackfeather was blurry and indistinct now that he had woken up, and it didn't help that he had lost lots of blood when Tigerclaw attacked him. Standing above the ravine, he saw Willowpelt on duty, gazing up into the silent forest. His black pelt was the perfect camouflage, and he crept around the edge of the clearing, until he stood above the warriors' den. Leaping down the mass of sheer sided boulders and shelves of rock carefully, Raventail tried to disturb as little amounts of loose rock as possible, and left little or no scent behind him. Now that he was nose-to-nose with the thorn barrier around the camp, he stole in the shadows of the tall bushes back toward the entrance, and waited for Willowpelt to patrol the camp walls.

As she moved off along the barrier, he slipped into the camp, his fur pressed so tight against his frame that he barely touched the barbs. Creeping over to the warriors' den again, he sat down for a second, and waited, trying to push down the panic that was rising in him. If he didn't, the entire clan would smell his fear-scent. He peered into the den, letting his eyes adjust to the gloom of the enclosed area.

Fireheart and Greystripe had nests by the edge of the warriors. They were the newest, so they had to deal with being colder. Prodding the ginger shape of Fireheart gently with one paw, he flicked his tail across his friends mouth as he awoke, startled at first, then, as Raventail backed out of the den, he followed.

"I have to go. Now." Raventail stated as soon as Fireheart squeezed out the entrance after him. He could swear that he saw a spark of fear in the toms' eyes, but it was gone in a second, replaced by sadness as he placed his muzzle on Raventail's shoulder.

"Good luck, Raventail. Look out for the ShadowClan patrols this time." Fireheart's voice was constricted almost, even though he was whispering. His eyes glinted with amusement at his last words, and he murmured in response, "I'll try. Tell Greystripe that I'm alive, no matter what Tigerclaw says. And that I'm with Barley." He mewed quickly, and Fireheart nodded. They touched noses one more time, and Raventail sprang toward the Dirtplace tunnel.

Pushing through the shadowy tunnel, he bounded out into the forest, climbing the rocks with fulid ease. He looked over his shoulder as the ravine disappeared from sight, and sighed, then hared on through the undergrowth. It wasn't long until he reached Fourtrees, running down the side of the hollow, he paused and glanced around sadly.

The Highstone gleamed silver in the moonlight, the grass waved back and forth in the breeze. His white tail stirred the blowing fronds, his black figure stark in the bright glade. He remembered all the times he had ran down the slope, all the times he had talked with the other clans, seen the leaders call the clans together. It wasn't until then that he realized what he was giving up, and he wanted to wail like a kit.

He was leaving his entire way of life, one that didn't want him anymore, but he had grown up with it the same. And now he was an outsider to the cats he had always known, and he shook his head sadly, plowing through the waving stems until he could leap up the springy moorland grasses on WindClan's side of the hollow.

Once he left Fourtrees behind him, the overwhelming scent of ShadowClan entered his scent glands. But it was fading, it was obvious that ShadowClan had stopped using the moor for prey, or at least not the area closest to Fourtrees. The wind slicked his fur back and the heady scents of heather and starlight filled him.

Crossing hill after hill, his paws began to ache, and he refused to glance over his shoulder as the clan territory ended behind him, the scents of WindClan marker was gone, as were the cats that left them. He started into the strange territory of the twolegs, his pelt prickling as he heard the dogs barking behind the fence he padded next to. The thin wooden planks rattled and shuddered when the dogs launched themselves at them. Continuing on at a faster pace, he passed all the nests as the sky was beginning to lighten, and he could see the outline of the barn in the distance.

The sun rose over highstones, and Raventail stood at the entrance to the barn, obviously his scent was drifting inside, soon a white and black cat padded out from the shadowy interior of the barn. "Barley." He greeted hoarsely, his voice was rough and he cleared his throat as Barley invited him inside the barn, surprise was obvious on the tom-cat's face.

"Ravenpaw, what are you doing here? Does Bluestar need help in the forest?"

He asked, lying in a bed of straw. Raventail's stomach growled and he gazed around the barn, though sadly there wasn't a mouse in sight.

"No, no nothing like that. ThunderClan is fine… it's more of a personal problem." Raventail sat down and sighed, the story flooded out of him, and the entire time Barley sat I his nest and nodded from time to time. "I had to leave. Tigerclaw almost killed me with his own claws, only by StarClan did I survive." He breathed at last, his voice becoming wistful as he related to his starry ancestors. Were they watching him now? Were they still going to guide his pawsteps and talk to him in dreams?

"I can see why you had to leave." Barley sympathized, then his expression was open, happy and mischievous. "I haven't had a younger cat around here in a while, it would do me good to see someone with some energy around here." Raventail sighed and smiled warmly to the white and black tom. Glancing around suddenly, he asked aloud, "What do you mean?"

Barley's brow wrinkled slightly. "I'm letting you stay in the barn with me, I thought it was clear to me…?" He trailed off as Raventail shook his head.

"Didn't you hear the voices? They were all around me, whispering the same thing.

_You will return_

**Fail, it was my first-ish.  
Although, thank you for telling it wasn't. Thnks to Apprentice Writer for having me change my WindClan mistake into a ShadowClan ambush ^^ and to everyone else who took the time to R&R! working on Heathertail Fanfic next. **

**I don't think anyone understands. I'm not making another chapter for this until I finish the other stories first. Sorry I didn't clarify that earlier.  
~Ashy**


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